By Shane Henson,
June 21, 2013—Laundered towels may not be as clean and germ-free as hospital staff and patients would like to believe, according to a new study published online in the American Journal of Infection Control. According to the study, 93 percent of tested laundered towels used to clean hospital rooms contained bacteria that could result in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The study also serves as a warning to custodial staff in other types of facilities.

Of the total number of towels tested, 93 percent contained viable bacteria such as E.coli (causes gastroenteritis), total coliforms (bacteria indicative of fecal matter) and Klebsiella (causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections and other infections). Just as alarming, of the total number of soak buckets containing disinfectant, 67 percent contained viable bacteria, including spore-forming bacteria (causes botulism and tetanus) and coliform bacteria.

Given the studies' results, Kimberly-Clark, a provider of solutions that improve hygiene within healthcare facilities, recommends that hospitals either use a sterilization process to clean re-usable cloth and microfiber towels or switch to disposables, hence decreasing the probability of transferring bacteria to surfaces that patients and employees may come in contact with.